Gear Bags?

[Warhammer]

Do any of you have/seen/used the Blue Reef Backpack sold by Leisure Pro? I looks identical to other backpacks and uses the same 420 denier, plus it's half the money. Personally I just can't justify sinking a fortune into a gear bag that will in all likelyhood need replacing after a few years. What I'm really looking for is a bag that will do it all; carry-on for airlines, boat bag, and shore bag. I'd perfer one that will hold all of my gear but remain within the carry-on limits. The way I see it is that $2000+ worth of gear is a heck of alot more valuable than my weeks worth of clothing. I can survive without the clothes, but not the gear.

I had looked hard at Armour's backpack, espeacially since it doesn't boast "dive gear inside", but after seeing some of their other bags in a shop today, I'm second guessing that choice. The shop didn't have their backpack but did have their duffles, which looked bad cheap.

 

[bio guy]

Warhammer..

Check the seams and make sure they are up to the task. I had one of a similar design(different company) that I actually used in the backpack mode to hike gear into remote lakes...needless to say the seams didn't stand up very well and I had to re-stitch them. Airlines flights are likely just as hard on them.

There is a lot to be said for a good heavy duty army-surplus duffle bag...but the design you are looking at has the advantage of padded compartments to protect your gear on those long flights. I took a look at leisurepro and the bag seemed to have alot of good qualities...double seams and the webbing reinforcements....

Hopefully someone who has used that company's packpack can comment. I'll be interested to see the responses, for when I end up replacing mine.

Cheers

Bio guy

 

[Warhammer]

Yeah, I may end up doing the army bag thing. There cheap and virtually indestructable. Dang scuba companies want to sell their name more than anything.

 

[Remora]

I have the Tilos bag which is all black 440 dernier backpack style.(no wheels) It has a removable pocket for your reg,mask,computer so you can take these items as carry on. The only outside makings is on the removable reg bag and all it says is Tilos. My only complaint is that I found the zippers a bit light for the abuse I put it through. I hade a sailmaker put in some BMD zippers and I rinse the bag every year or two and it works like a top.

 

[AmysOnline]

My parents had great gear bags. They were big and had the name of the scuba company on the side of the bag....
Stolen - right off the Airline (Delta)on the way home from Grand Turk. Either a baggage handler or someone beat them to the baggage claim area. The bag was an advertisement for what was inside!

All and all - $5000 worth of new equipment - Everything - gone! The airline had an lost baggage policy - they reimbursed them $500.00.

I like the army bag idea.

Amy